Effect of quercetin on chemiluminescence of human platelets induced by arachidonic acid

Arachidonic acid (AA)-induced platelet chemiluminescence (CL) was measured with a lumiphotometer. Quercetin remarkably inhibited the CL, the IC50 of quercetin was 3 mumol.L-1. When quercetin plus aspirin, which inhibits only cyclooxygenase, was added, the inhibitory rate of platelet-CL obviously increased (P < 0.01). On the other hand, the quercetin had a scavenging effect on superoxide anion radical using alkaline sodium dithionite solution generation. The IC50 was 20.9 mumol.L-1. In addition, superoxide dismutase of 0.1 mg.ml-1 inhibited the platelet-CL by 97.8%, while mannitol, a hydroxyl radical scavenger, only by 43.3% at a concentration of 80 mg.ml-1. These results suggest that the mechanism of the inhibiting AA-induced platelet-CL by quercetin was associated with scavenging the superoxide anion radical directly and with inhibiting the cyclooxygenase.     

On‐line opto‐viscoelastic analysis of polypropylene fibres using multiple‐beam Fizeau fringes in transmission and a modified creep device

A creep device attached to an automated multiple‐beam Fizeau system in transmission was modified with a designed digital ruler. This device allows on‐line measurements of fibre length during creep experiments in terms of an analogue voltage value. The influence of sustained stress values on creep deformation and optical properties (n^||, n^? and Δn) for polypropylene (PP) fibres was studied interferometrically. The opto‐viscoelastic properties of PP fibres were determined for three different values of constant applied stress of 11.536, 18.717 and 25.905 MPa, at room temperature. Also, the variations of the cross‐sectional area and Poisson's ratio were studied during creep extensions. The compliance curves were obtained as a function of both time and applied stresses. Empirical formulae are suggested to describe the creep compliance curves for PP fibres, and the constants of these formulae were determined and described at each applied stress. A Kelvin chain was used to model the mechanical behaviour of the PP fibres under study. The effect of strain on the mean refractive indices, orientation function density and crystallinity was investigated as a result of the recorded data. Microinterferograms are given for illustration. The modified creep device with the designed digital ruler enables one to obtain instantaneous automatic accurate recording of fibre length values during creep experiments. Calculation of refractive indices, orientation function and crystallinity shows a difference in material behaviour at small stresses from that at higher stresses which may be attributed to different strain rates caused by different stresses. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Role of cytosolic calcium balance on cell injury in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells during hypoxia and reoxygenation]

The integration of pharmacological therapies for comorbid disorders requires an acceptance of independence and interactions of respective addictive and psychiatric disorders. At the same time, alcohol and other drugs induce psychiatric states that are indistinguishable from psychiatric disorders. On the other hand, while psychiatric disorders do not induce addictive use of alcohol and drugs, they do pose vulnerabilities to the development of addictive disorders. Generally, the treatment of comorbid disorders begins with abstinence and evaluation of the effects of alcohol and other drugs in contributing to the psychiatric picture. In the case of comorbid disorders, stabilization and standard treatments can be employed with certain cautions, namely, to avoid the use of addicting medications such as benzodiazepines and opiates beyond the detoxification stage. High potency neuroleptics and antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be used to treat continuing psychiatric states after the exclusionary criteria in DSM-IV for substance-related disorders have been applied to the clinical case. If the psychiatric symptoms clear with sustained abstinence, little or no medications may be required. Specific treatment of the addictive disorders will often determine the extent that addictive disorders are responsible for psychiatric symptomatology. Alternatively, treatment of the psychiatric disorder will enhance compliance with addiction treatment.     

Using monoclonal antibodies to characterize a sequential epitope on the group I allergen of Bermuda grass pollen

We measured the incidence of cuff retear and injury to the suprascapular nerve after mobilization and repair of a massive rotator cuff tear. Of one hundred four rotator cuff repairs performed over a 5-year period, 10 patients (7 men and 3 women, age range 22 to 68 years) had primary repairs of massive rotator cuff tears requiring cuff mobilization and an acromioplasty as their only procedure. These patients were evaluated at a mean of 2.5 years (range 2.0 to 3.0 years) after surgery. At follow-up electromyographic examination confirmed that 1 of the 10 patients had an iatrogenic suprascapular nerve injury, whereas ultrasound evaluation revealed that 2 of 10 repairs failed. Pain relief was achieved in the eight patients with intact repairs and not in the two with recurrent tears. All patients had some limitation of active motion or strength, especially in external rotation. Thus 7 of 10 patients had neither evidence of nerve injury nor recurrent rotator cuff tears yet still showed limited active motion or weakness. It appears that operative injury to the suprascapular nerve during cuff mobilization can occur, but other factors such as inadequate cuff muscle function are more frequently responsible for the poor functional outcomes seen after successful repairs of massive rotator cuff tears.     

Chronic and predispositional guilt: relations to mental health, prosocial behavior, and religiosity

Researchers are in sharp disagreement concerning the role of guilt in mental health and prosocial behavior, and on whether guilt is associated with greater religiosity. We sought to resolve diametrically opposed reports by distinguishing chronic guilt, an ongoing condition unattached to immediate events, from predispositional guilt, a personality proclivity for experiencing guilt in reaction to circumscribed precipitating events. We administered a battery of commonly used guilt and shame measures to 101 undergraduates (48 men, 53 women) as well as measures of chronic and predispositional guilt designed to hold content constant. Undergraduates also completed the Beck Depression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, reported extracurricular activities including volunteer work and religious group participation, and provided other information on religiosity. Chronic guilt invariably showed stronger relations than did predispositional guilt with symptoms of depression and psychopathology. In contrast, predispositional compared to chronic guilt was more strongly associated with lowered hostility and increased volunteerism as well as participation in religious activities and religiosity.     

The dynamic clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease during the rehabilitation at a low-altitude health resort of patients who have undergone surgical myocardial revascularization

Left ventricular myocardial contractility was found essential in dynamics of clinical IHD picture in patients on rehabilitation treatment at low mountain resorts. All the patients have previously undergone surgical myocardial revascularization. Patients with normal left ventricular myocardial contractility benefited most of all.     

Preoperative preparation programs in children: a comparative examination

We sought to determine whether an extensive behavioral preparation program for children undergoing surgery is more effective than a limited behavioral program. The primary end point was child and parent anxiety during the preoperative period. Secondary end points included behavior of the child during the induction of anesthesia and the postoperative recovery period. Several days before surgery, children (n = 75) aged 2-12 yr randomly received either an information-based program (OR tour), an information + modeling-based program (OR tour + videotape), or an information + modeling + coping-based program (OR tour + videotape + child-life preparation). Using behavioral and physiological measures of anxiety, we found that children who received the extensive program exhibited less anxiety immediately after the intervention, in the holding area on the day of surgery, and on separation to the operating room. These findings, however, achieved statistical significance only in the holding area on the day of surgery (44[10-72] vs 32[8-50] vs 9[6-33]; P = 0.02). Similarly, parents in the extensive program were significantly less anxious on the day of surgery in the preoperative holding area, as assessed by behavioral (P = 0.015) and physiological measures (P = 0.01). In contrast, no differences were found among the groups during the induction of anesthesia, recovery room period, or 2 wk postoperatively. We conclude that children and parents who received the extensive preoperative preparation program exhibited lower levels of anxiety during the preoperative period, but not during the intraoperative or postoperative periods. IMPLICATIONS: The extensive behavioral preoperative program that we undertook had limited anxiolytic effects. These effects were localized to the preoperative period and did not extended to the induction of anesthesia or the postoperative recovery period.     

Identification and characterization of epitopes on Cyn d I, the major allergen of Bermuda grass pollen

BACKGROUND: We identified three epitopes on Cyn d I by using four anti-Cyn d I monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs). METHODS: In a cross-inhibition binding assay, the binding of MoAbs 1-61 and 10-7 to Cyn d I was completely blocked by each other but not by MoAbs 4-37 and 11-7; the binding of MoAb 4-37 and MoAb 11-7 to Cyn d I was inhibited by themselves but not by other MoAbs. The epitope recognized by MoAbs 1-61 and 10-7 is designated as E1, and those recognized by MoAbs 4-37 and 11-7 are designated as E2 and E3, respectively. RESULTS: In a radioallergosorbent inhibition assay, we found that MoAbs 1-61 and 4-37 (1:50 diluted) can inhibit the binding of human Immunoglobulin Es to Cyn d I by more than 30%, whereas MoAb 11-7 was less efficient (reduced by only 6%). These results suggest that both E1 and E2 are major allergenic epitopes but that E3 is only a minor one. Further characterization of E1 and E2 reveals that they are labile in alkaline but resistant to acid and sodium periodate treatments. Moreover, E1 is heat-labile, but guanidine- and urea-sensitive, whereas E2 is not. Both E1 and E2 lost their antigenicity after reduction and alkylation. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study provide important information on the physicochemical properties of major allergenic epitopes on Cyn d I, which may be useful for future development of therapeutic peptides for patients allergic to Bermuda grass pollen.     

Concentration of mercuro-organic compounds (methyl- and ethyl derivatives) in several species of fish and sea products

By using gas-liquid chromatography the content of organic mercury compounds (methyl- and ethyl derivatives) in some widely consumed in alimentation fish species and marine products was determined. Methyl mercury was found in 96.2 per cent of a total of 104 samples. The average level of its content in the fish species under study was dissimilar, viz. in cod fish--0.045 + .0053 mg/kg. in sea perch--0.021 +/- 0.0029 mg/kg; in sprat--0.0050 +/- 0.0013 mg/kg. In marine products (crustacea, sea crayfish, shrimps) the percentage of the methyl mercury detection comprised 100, 60 and 85, respectively and the contamination level did not exceed 0.0520 mg/kg. Ethyl mercury was found in 33--35 per cent of 40 samples of shrimps and crustacea and in 13.6 per cent of fish subjected to analysis. From the above data the amount of methyl mercury introduced with a diurnal portion of fish was estamated at 0.9--5.0 psi per man-day.